Social media is showered with the latest fitness or weight loss trends and images of girls flaunting their sculpted curves and perfected ‘booties’. There’s no way of avoiding the fitness revolution, which has sparked a shift in the way that women see their bodies and even the way they train. The popularity of sports like Crossfit and powerlifting has dramatically increased, however there is still a stigma attached to lifting weights. Some girls still believe that weight lifting will make them bulky and give them a bodybuilder’s physique.
Frankly, that’s not true. Most women don’t have the necessary caloric intake and testosterone to build that kind of mass. In fact, weight lifting is the best way to shed some pounds and get yourself into great shape. Lifting can help you sculpt amazing curves that you see models flaunting on Instagram. You can be that girl who builds a body to be proud of.
Maxinutrition have utilised their expert knowledge to offer advice on how you can build muscle the right way.
Workout
You will want to devise a workout regime that combines two types of lifts: compound lifts and isolation lifts, with heavy weights and few reps. The compound lifts are the big ones – they incorporate the most amount of muscle groups in one single motion. The squat, deadlift, military press and bench press are all known as compound lifts as they place a large amount of pressure on your central nervous system which encourages a release of muscle building hormones.
Isolation lifts are perfect for targeting one specific muscle group. Bicep curls, tricep extensions and seated leg extensions are great for those areas you want to develop. We recommend that you avoid light weights with more reps for this stage in training as this typically helps to tone, and you need the muscle to be in place before you work on toning.
Your workout should be fairly simple, with a clear focus on strength and muscle building. For example:
Day A: Upper body push
- 5 Minute rowing machine warmup
- 3 x 8 Bench press
- 3 x 8 Shoulder fly
- 3 x 8 Incline bench press
- 3 x 8 Military press
Day B: Upper body pull
- 5 Minute rowing machine warmup
- 3 x 8 Deadlift
- 3 x 8 Bent over row
- 3 x 8 Lateral pull down
- 3 x 8 Pull up (or assisted pull up)
Day C: Lower body
- 5 Minute jogging warm up
- 3 x 8 Barbell back squat
- 3 x 8 Dumbbell lunge (4 each leg)
- 3 x 8 Seated leg extension
- 3 x 8 Goblet squat
Rest
You should always schedule a rest day following each workout day. This will allow your body to heal and your muscles to properly repair. Focus on getting 7-8 hours of sleep at a minimum, as sleep is an essential part of muscle recovery.
Nutrition
When building muscle, your diet is a huge part of the process. You must follow a clean, lean diet whilst also consuming a slight caloric surplus. Keep your diet simple, focusing on the main macronutrients such as carbohydrates, lean protein and good fats.
Your carbs should come from non-refined foods like wholegrains, brown rice, green veg and sweet potato. With regards to your protein, that can vary depending on dietary choices but we recommend that you keep your protein levels high at all times to assist with the repair of your muscles between workouts. A good way to boost your protein levels following a workout is through using protein powders in a post workout protein shake.
An app like MyFitnessPal helps you work out exactly how much you should eat and what ‘type’ of macronutrients you’ll need.
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