Muscle Building Techniques
You know that guy at the gym? The really buff one who parades around in his leather weight belt and cutoff T-shirt, and seems to scoff at anyone who can’t curl 75 pounds? I don’t want to look like him. I want to be strong and fit, but I don’t want to be awkwardly bulky. The fear of “bulking up,” as well as concerns about losing speed and flexibility with a gain in muscle mass are all too common among women in particular, as well as athletes of both sexes.
The good news is this: there are a lot of different muscle building techniques out there, but none will simply turn you into a “gym rat” if that’s not what you’re going for. For the world-class tough guy or bodybuilder look, you need to ingest massive amounts of calories and probably more than a few supplements. You need to have a particular kind of resistance training routine, and the genetic capability to become that large. No one accidentally turns into Hulk Hogan.
The goal of resistance training is to strengthen our muscles. Becoming stronger all around allows our bodies to function more efficiently. Furthermore, studies have shown that adults who do resistance training regularly actually have retain higher bone mass densities later in life than those who do not.
So now that I’ve alleviated your fear of getting huge and even given you an undeniable reason to add resistance training to your current workout routine, here are a couple of muscle building techniques that might come in handy.
1. Always work with challenging weights. If you’re brand new to resistance training, it may take some time to figure out which weight or machine setting is appropriate for each exercise. Generally, to build muscle (strength, that is), you should choose a weight where you can do no more than 6-10 repetitions before your muscles fatigue. So if you hit 10 and are still going strong, you need a heavier weigh. If, on the other hand, you’re contorting your entire body to curl a dumbbell 3 times, you’ll probably want to take it down a notch.
2. Don’t get stuck in a rut. In other words, switch up your routine to ensure optimal strength gains. Remember that your goal with resistance training is to gain muscle mass and strength; so don’t be surprised when this happens. Gains can be most dramatic at the beginning of a new exercise program, so pay attention to your body, and adjust weights or repetitions as necessary to keep things challenging. The golden rule of resistance training is to change the elements of your routine every couple of weeks. Substituting a bench press for push-ups will still work your chest and some upper arm muscles, but the variations in direction and movement will provide the muscles with a new challenge. Working with free weights for 2 weeks and then switching to machines can be equally beneficial.
Of course there are many more muscle building techniques we could discuss, if only there were time. But what you have here are the essentials. The details—creating a resistance training technique that is effective and manageable for you personally—are up to you. But don’t worry: when it comes to the gym, you’ll soon find out that the details are the fun part.
Tags: bench press, bodybuilder, free weights, gain muscle mass, gain strength, muscle building techniques, resistance training, strength training