Training to build muscle and burn fat is not just about aesthetics — it increases overall health, muscular strength, mobility, cardiovascular conditioning, and may even increase life expectancy. Below are four tips to achieve better strength, size, and health, while maximizing results from time spent in the gym.
Focus on Compound Movements
Compound movements are exercises that simultaneously recruit two or more muscle groups to move a load. Squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, lunges, and rows are all examples of compound movements. These exercises stimulate a greater release of human growth hormone or HGH.
HGH is responsible for the growth of muscle tissue, recovery, and metabolism making it highly beneficial to those attempting to achieve a lean and muscular physique. Perform these movements with heavy to moderate weight in either the four to six or eight to 10 rep range for best results.
Progressive Overload
Progressive overload means continuously overloading the muscle over time. This could mean adding more weight, reps or sets to a particular exercise, or more training volume overall. A stimulus must be present to build new muscle tissue. The most effective way to stimulate the muscle is to continually place it under a load that it has not yet adapted to. This requires the muscle to strengthen and grow to handle the increasing pressure.
Switch Up the Routine
Often times, lifters will encounter a plateau due to a stagnant routine. When this occurs, altering the intensity of the workout may help initiate new muscle growth. In addition to varying intensity, exercise order may also need modification. Beginning with a movement to pre-exhaust a muscle group may stimulate changes in muscle growth, while adding in drop sets or supersets may also have a positive effect.
Proper Nutrition
This is perhaps the most critical component of muscle building and fat loss. It is common knowledge that an unhealthy diet cannot be out-trained, making adequate nutrition crucial to achieving a lean and muscular physique. Pre and post-workout are two of the most critical times to fuel the body with appropriate nutrients and should never be overlooked.
Pre-workout nutrition should include a carbohydrate and protein source to fuel muscles during training, while post-workout nutrition should consist of a fast-digesting source of protein and carbohydrates. This initiates muscle protein synthesis and maximizes the body’s ability to repair and grow new muscle tissue. Paying close attention to proper nutrition before and after a workout will maximize training effectiveness.
A personal trainer with Titanz Fitness can help guide you in the right direction. Your personal trainer will provide you with a nutrition plan, a training regimen, and the motivation needed to help you achieve your fitness goals. Whether you are a former athlete or a training bodybuilder, we have a personal trainer for you here at our Smyrna fitness center! Contact us today for a free personal trainer evaluation.
