Posts Tagged ‘build lean muscle mass’

When you start seriously lifting weights, building lean muscle should be first and foremost on your mind. It is one thing to want to get big and strong, it is another to get big just for the sake of getting big. If you are increasing weight and it is mostly fat than you are really defeating the purpose of building your body. What sense does it make to get large if, when you look in the mirror you can’t see your abs or any noticeable definition. Muscle confusion,nutrition, strength training and cardio will all play an important role in helping you to build lean muscle mass and you must start to incorporate these into your training.

Four things we must include when you are talking about building lean muscle

Muscle Confusion
Start using heavy weight and less rest to coax your muscles to grow. 30 seconds rest in between each set is enough time to allow your heat rate and lactic acid build up to decrease. Keep your muscles confused by changing your rest times in between sets and they will respond by getting bigger. This type of confusion training will also help to burn unnecessary calories and help you to gain more lean muscle mass.

Strength Training
There is no way to truly build lean muscle mass without adding a strength building routine to your existing routine. Strength training and fat burning go hand in hand and should be included in your overall weight lifting program. Strength training begins by accepting the fact that you must workout the larger muscle groups. Working out these large muscle groups will help to increase your overall core strength. It is crucial to work out the Legs, Back and Chest muscles by using compound exercises that target a big area and not just an individual muscle group.
The gains in lean muscle mass will be felt long after the workout is done by including these compound strength building exercises, which help to bring about an anabolic response from within. It really is all about gaining strength and using a great strength training program to bring you to the next level.

Cardio Training
When building lean muscle mass you must include cardio training: stationary bike, walking and using the treadmill will help you reach your goals. Cardio can be boring and at times seem a waste of time but if you are going to have the stamina and endurance to complete your workouts it must be included. While you are building muscle you want to be able to see that muscle but how can you see that muscle if you have a layer of fat hiding it? It’s the cardio training that will let you lose that layer of fat just below the skin. Start cardio training now!

Nutrition And Protein
To build lean muscle mass you must eat the right foods and get the correct amount of protein if you are to reach your goals. The major source of bodybuilding nutrition is protein and we must eat it everyday and in the right amounts. To build lean muscle mass you must take in one gram of protein for each pound of lean muscle mass. Beginning weight lifters can use the older method of calculating protein intake by using one gram of protein per one pound of total body weight. As you gain experience and are looking to really refine your protein supplement then you can use the newer more precise method of calculating protein intake.

If your goals are to build lean muscle mass then keeping these four things in mind will provide a great foundation to get you started and keep you on track.

Begin to build lean muscle today or keep complaining about how you look. It is up to you how you look and feel.

When the weather is warm, there is nothing quite like going for a refreshing swim at the local pool. To add to the benefits, you can use it as an opportunity to work on those stomach muscles. The water provides natural resistance, making the pool a great place to do stomach exercises to flatten out that tummy. Despite the greater resistance water has than air, aquasizing is low-impact, meaning less strain on joints. Try out these exercises next time you take a trip down to your pool. Remember, consult your doctor before beginning a new workout routine, and always warm up properly to prevent injury.

The first set of exercises to try is called the jump and dig. There are two moves in this set, one for the upper body and one for the lower body. The former is great for your obliques, and the latter works on your abdominals. To start, stand in water that is between your belly button and chest. To work the lower body (including your abdominals), put your feet a wide distance apart, then jump so your knees come up to the surface of the water and back down. Picture a frog as you do it; this will help you get the form right. Next, to work the upper body, begin by making a scoop with both hands at the surface of the water. Bring your hand scoop below the surface, then scoop up and to one side. Alternate sides to work the obliques on both sides. Start by doing the two moves separately for three minutes each. Once you have mastered the form, do them at the same time to exercise both sets of stomach muscles at once.

As you build strength and endurance, you can add water gloves to increase resistance. You can also do the exercises faster, packing more reps into each three minute period. Form is key, though. Do not sacrifice form for the sake of speed. It is better to do it properly than quickly. Also remember to set fitness goals and work toward them at a gradual pace. Do not push yourself too hard, too fast. You may want to see results fast, but an injury will seriously delay your workout goals. Start small, know your limits, and build gradually.

As long as you are working on your midsection, here are a few additional tips. First, proper diet is essential to any fitness routine. A great, hard workout can be completely negated by improper eating habits. Second, stay hydrated both while working out and in everyday life. A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight in pounds, divide it by 2, and drink that number of ounces of water each day. This helps to keep the body functioning at it’s highest level. Third, rest up. This means not only getting plenty of sleep, but also getting the right kind of sleep. Spend all night sleeping on your stomach, and you will wake up with a sore back, making it difficult to do your stomach exercises. Also be sure to schedule off days into your routine to give your muscles a chance to rest up and rebuild. Now you already have a great start on a toned, flat stomach!

The midsection is a problem area for many people, and those who want to shrink the size of their belly are numerous. A balanced diet is a good place to start, but there are also some great stomach exercises to help along the process. The exercises discussed below meet this description, as they are specifically designed to help reduce belly fat, and therefore, the size of your tummy. These particular exercises are targeted at beginners, so give them a try if you are just starting out. Once you have mastered these, feel free to advance to something more challenging. When doing these exercises, it is important to move slowly so as to maintain control and not allow momentum to take over. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.
     
Vertical Leg Crunch
This is a variation on the traditional crunch that focuses more specifically on reducing stomach fat. To begin this stomach exercise, first lie on your back on a flat surface, such as the floor. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Put your hands behind your head, with elbows out far enough that they are out of sight. Now lift your legs straight up into the air, crossing your ankles and bending your knees slightly. Contract your abdominals and lift your shoulders, head and upper back up to about a thirty degree angle. Be aware of not lifting with your hands or leading with your head.

Long Arm Crunch
For this stomach exercise, remain on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Lie back and extend your arms straight back on the floor as though you are reaching above your head. Contract your abs and slowly lift your arms, head and shoulders off the floor to about a thirty degree angle. Hold it, then slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set. Be careful not to lead with your arms, keeping them straight and alongside your head.

Reverse Crunch
You will need to stay on your back for this stomach exercise. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Put your arms at your sides with palms facing up to the ceiling. Put your legs in the air so that your knees are bent at ninety degree angles and your hips make about a ninety degree angle with your torso. Keep your knees unbent and as straight as possible. Now, contract your ab muscles so that it feels like your belly button is being pulled toward your spine, while at the same time gently lifting your hips off the floor. Raise your hips to height of a few inches, keeping your legs extended straight upward. Hold this position, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

The weather is warming up, and for many people, that means it is time to work on that little bulge that has been taking up residence around the midsection since Thanksgiving. These several exercises can help you shed that excess turkey weight and flatten out that stomach in time for beach season. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

Plank
For this stomach exercise, you will need to lie on a flat surface, such as the floor. You will be lying in your stomach, so you may want to use a mat or towel to cushion your knees. Prop your upper body up on your forearms so that your elbows make a ninety degree angle and are positioned directly below your shoulders. Now lift your body up off the floor so that your lower body is supported by your toes, while your upper body remains supported by your elbows. Your body should basically be a straight line, with no arch or drooping through your back. Hold this position for twenty seconds, then lower your body back to the floor. One repetition is sufficient.

Side Plank
This stomach exercise is a variation on the previous one, and begins in the same starting position. Once you are positioned properly, roll to your right side, keeping your torso supported with your right forearm. You will have to raise your hips and roll your feet so that your left foot is on top of your right. As in the plank, your body will be a straight line, but this time you will be on one side. Place your left hand on your hip and hold the plank position for five seconds. Return to start and repeat on the left side.
     
Ball Roll
If you just quickly glanced at the title, you may have gone to find a ball before reading on. If you did, you can go put it away, because in this stomach exercise, you are the ball! First, sit on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Roll back slightly so you are balancing on your tail bone and your feet are off the floor, toes pointing downward. Pull your abdominals inward while rolling onto your lower back and the upper part of your butt. Contract your abdominals and pull yourself back to the starting position. Loosening your arms up may help if you find this exercise too difficult at first.
     
Standing Crossover
As the name implies, you will need to stand up for this stomach exercise. Position your feet a few inches apart. Put your arms out to the sides and bend your elbows at a ninety degree angle so your fingertips are pointing to the ceiling and your palm are facing forward. Contract your abdominals and lift your right knee toward your left elbow, while at the same time bringing your left elbow down toward your right knee. Touch the two joints together, pause, then return to start. Switch sides and repeat for an entire set.

There are two main types of exercise that you can do -
aerobic and anaerobic.  The first one, aerobic, means
with oxygen.  Aerobic type exercise has an important
distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel. 

Anaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the
main source of fuel.  Despite common myths, exercise
doesn’t have to be drastic in any way to provide
massive benefits.  Even if you choose light exercise,
you will still burn fat.

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is
a waste of the body, and stimulate your cells to
regenerate.  To be sure that you are burning fat
rather than sugar, it’s very important to make sure
that you are doing several things as you exercise.

The most important thing you can do as you exercise
is breathe deep.  You should always breathe in deep
into your stomach through your nose, hold it for
a few seconds and then exhale hard through your
mouth.

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at
a comfortable level.  You should exercise at a level
of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a
normal conversation while you exercise.  You should
do this for 45 minutes or so each day, then
you’ll begin to notice just how much your energy
will explode.

Even if you don’t think you have the time to
exercise, rest assured that there is always time.
If you have to, use the time that you would
normally spend sleeping.  With exercising, you’ll
actually need less sleep than before.

You can also use the time of your lunch break to
exercise as well.  The increase in productivity
will have you more on the ball, and you can save
your time through the dramatic increase in your
overall productivity. 

Cellularise, or rebounding, is one of the best
forms of aerobic exercise there is.  If you have
access to a rebounder, you shouldn’t hesitate to
use it.  Use any break you have at work to engage
in some type of movement and deep breathing.

Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit
your heart.  It will make it a stronger and larger
organ.  Deep breathing will help your lungs
become stronger and larger as well.  There is
research now that links exercise to helping benefit
and almost prevent each and every type of disease
or ailment.

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood
flow and create energy, as sitting down all day
will rob your body of much needed energy.  If you
sit down all day, it’s very important that you
promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain
flow, and the strength of your heart.  With just
a little bit of your time devoted to exercise,
you’ll find yourself healthier than you have ever
been in the past.

There are many times in a person’s life when they really want to look their best. Perhaps it is for a high school reunion or for a wedding, and probably the most popular time for wanting to look good is during swimsuit season. For all of these times, and many more times, most people’s focus turns to their stomach and they start thinking about exercises to flatten stomachs.

People tend to think that a flatter stomach means better looks and most people want to look their best. A flat stomach does go beyond looks however; there are medical reasons why people should concentrate on exercises to flatten the stomach. Medical evidence suggests that people that carry extra weight around the stomach tend to be more likely to develop serious medical conditions, including diabetes. The stomach is also the core of the body, this means that the stronger and healthier the core is, the more likely the rest of the body will be as well. Consider a person with back problems, which is a common problem with many people. These people benefit greatly from doing exercises to flatten their stomachs. This will help improve posture and relieve tension in the back as access weight is removed from the center of the body. When a stomach is flat, it also helps the person to walk taller and straighter, giving the person more confidence and improves their overall looks compared to a person that walks hunched over.

Besides looks and health, another reason why exercises to flatten stomach muscles are popular is because they are easy to do. They can be done practically anywhere, in a gym, at home in front of the television or anywhere else. They also do not take equipment to do. While there are plenty of machines and smaller pieces of equipment all geared for flattening a stomach, they are not necessarily needed to get the same results. All a person needs is some room to lie down and the desire to improve their stomach. There are a wide variety of exercises that target this area of the body, so a person can choose which moves will work best for him or her.

Because this type of exercise is so popular, most workout programs, whether on a video watched at home, a health club or any other program a person follows, will include exercises to flatten stomach muscles, because it is so important to keep them strong and also because of the popularity of this type of exercise. Most people are not interested in simply working on their legs or arms or other parts of their bodies unless they are exercising their stomach as well.

Obviously there are many reasons why people want to flatten their stomach and spend a lot of time doing exercises to flatten the stomach. Whether the reason is vanity or health, it is important to remember that like with all things, it will take time to get the desired results and a person must stick to whatever program they are comfortable with until they have the stomach they want. The good news is that stomach muscles respond very well to even a little exercise, with some exercise and a good healthy diet, most people can see results, provided there is no medical reason why they probably won’t succeed.