#fitfitnessmotivationstrengthtrainingworkoutfitspoblonderippedtransformationsgym

[lesfit101]

Why you gain strength before you gain muscle?💪

Weight training systems are designed to test your strength and endurance. As they work together, more muscles are recruited to lift heavier weights, resulting first in additional strength and then in size gains.  

However, you must remember though that as a “beginner lifter” you must get through some variations of training before you start to see any muscle gain. In short, you must understand how to lift correctly first otherwise muscle size won’t happen. 

Increased Muscle Mass 

When you begin a weight training programme you will notice that the numbers on the scale will most likely start to increase and you might start to panic but, this is perfectly normal in fact this means that you have started to gain muscle mass in the world of weight training and that is a good sign. It means that you are making progress. 

What you need to determine is how to tell the difference between gaining muscle and gaining fat. When you do weight training your body fat% should decrease while your muscle mass increases. The reason that this happens is muscle weighs more than fat and therefore it takes up more space. 

        THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAT VS MUSCLE

To measure your progress is harder when you start a weight training programme as the increase in numbers might throw you off track. I would say it is not always advised weighing yourself daily. However, it is important to still measure your progress so that you can make sure that it is muscle you are gaining and not fat. Therefore, here are 3 ways to measure this more effectively. 

Measure your waistline - Focus on losing cm rather than weight.

Look in the mirror - As apparent as this might sound it’s the best way to    determine if you are gaining muscle. You will see visible changes in your    body shape i.e. more tone and overall appearance will be a leaner look. 

Another way to measure your body fat% vs muscle mass is with a Body Composition scale it can determine your body fat% vs muscle mass. These are for the most part quite accurate. 

We must always keep in mind that the “switch” happens over months it's not a quick process. If your body fat percentage shows more muscle and less fat, then that is the change you are looking for. If your jeans are baggy or loose, or if you look in the mirror and a more muscular person is staring back at you, then your strength training efforts could be working.

Reasons why you might gain weight during weight training.

Water Weight 

Water makes up around 60% of the average adult body the average human will not live for longer than 3- 4 days without consuming water while they can live without food for up to 2-3 weeks. Water changes our weight. We lose water every time we workout, sweat, or even cry. 

What’s important to note here is that ultimately water weight can increase the number on the scale so it's important to weigh yourself at the same time everyday i.e. first thing in the morning to get a more accurate reading. 

Ever notice how you weigh less first thing in the morning? That’s because you sweat while you sleep most of the time you even lose water while breathing. Your weight will fluctuate if you have some water retention this is perfectly normal but it’s extremely important to stay hydrated all day every day!

Diet, diet, diet 

You probably thinking you already know where this is going but still, so many of us believe that if we workout regularly we can reward ourselves after, but most of us are not considering that the reward might contain more calories than you just burnt. The truth is if we are eating more calories than we are burning you will never see real results. I am a firm believer that it's really 100% dedication to consistency rather than an all-in all-out approach you just simply cannot expect to see long term results if you don’t stay consistent. 

“Do not use workouts as your green light to eat whatever you want”

However, your body does need the right kind of fuel (especially when you train), but an intense workout is not a license to eat whatever and as much as you want. Eat clean and watch your portions—even when you are working out hard.

Types of training systems weightlifters use to build strength, overall resulting in gaining muscle mass. 

1.     One rep maximum

1RM in weight training is the maximum amount of weight one can lift in a single repetition for a given exercise. One repetitions maximum can be used for determining an individual’s maximum strength and can also be used as an upper limit, to determine the desired “load” for an exercise.

2.     Pyramid sets

Are weight training sets in which the progression is from lighter weights to a greater number of repetitions in the first set, to heavier weights with fewer repetitions in the following sets. A reverse pyramid is an opposite in which the heavier weights are used at the beginning and progressively lightened.

3.     Super sets 

Are consecutive sets of dreams exercises designed to work opposing muscles. Or at least different muscles within a large body part region. Opposing muscle exercises could include biceps and triceps at the front and back of the arms, or quads and hamstrings at the front and back of the legs. The exercises are usually done with minimum rest between sets. 

4.     Giant sets 

The Giant set, is a form of training that targets one muscle group (e.g. the triceps) with three or four separate sets of exercises performed in quick succession, often to failure and sometimes with the reduction of weight halfway through a set once muscle fatigue sets in. 

5.     Forced reps

Forced reps occur after momentary muscular failure. An assistant provides just enough help to get the weight trainer past the sticking point of the exercise and allow further repetitions to be completed. Weight trainers often do this when they are spotting their exercise partners.

6.     Cheat reps 

Cheating is a deliberate compromise of form to maximum reps. Cheating has the advantage that it can be done without a training partner, but compromises safety. A typical example of cheat reps occurs during biceps curls when, beginning with the load at the waist, the exerciser swings the barbell forward and up during the concentric phase utilizing momentum to assist his or her biceps muscles in moving the load to a shortened muscle position. 

Guidelines for beginner weightlifters

Full-body workouts are more efficient and ideal for beginners. ... The upside is that when you work out the same muscle groups by doing the same or similar exercises multiple times each week, you improve your overall body strength, rather than just in one area.

This means you hit all the major muscle groups in one workout, Both strength-training approaches can help you increase muscle mass, burn calories, and look more toned.

Weight training tips for beginners

Warm-up. ... 

Start with lighter weights. ... 

Gradually increase weight. ... 

Rest for at least 60 seconds in between sets. ... 

Limit your workout to no longer than 45 minutes. ... 

Gently stretch your muscles after your workout. ... 

Rest a day or two in between workouts.

The Most Popular 5 Day Splits - Focused on certain muscle group/s per session.

Day 1: Legs/Abs.

Day 2: Chest.

Day 3: Back/Abs*

Day 4: Rest.

Day 5: Shoulder/Abs*

Day 6: Arms.

Day 7: Rest

The Most Popular full body workout – working all the larger muscles first and smaller muscles last.

Warm up

Shoulders

Legs

Back

Chest

Triceps

Biceps

Abs

Cool down stretch

In conclusion

I say that you should think of strength training as your long-term solution to weight loss instead of fearing that it will cause weight gain. Strength training offers many health benefits, including an increase in the number of calories burned. The more muscle you have in your body, the more calories you burn every single day. So, strength training is the best way to gain muscle mass and lose body fat.

“Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, and building muscles costs a lot of energy. As you increase the amount of muscle you have, you will also increase your resting metabolic rate.” —American Council on Exercise.

 For more healthy tips, workouts please visit my Instagram page @lesfit101