FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. I'm a teenage guy and I want to get big - can you help?
2. I am a petite woman and I'm scared of getting too big?
3. How much food do I need a day?
4. All these supplements scare me - are they safe?
5. Why is cardio training so important to muscle growth?
6. What is the best way to train to get fitter?
You will be happy to know that this is an easy question to answer. There are no secrets to getting big, no expensive supplements or complicated training programs, just sound nutrition and effective training.
Training - Firstly you need to train in a manner which is geared towards muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth). This means training with a program that focuses on compound exercises with heavy weights and low reps. You need to choose a weight where you will be working with maximum intensity in a rep range of 4-6. If you can manage 6 reps comfortably, then you need to increase the resistance. During this time, you still need to focus on some type of cardio-vascular training. Not the traditional fat burning 1 hr long sessions, but 2-3 15 minute high intensity sessions per week. This will increase your physical conditioning, which will enable you to push harder in the gym. Make sure though that your cardio training does not interfere with the recovery needed from your weights. If you feel that the cardio is taxing your body too much and you are not recovering, reduce the number of sessions, not the intensity.
Diet - Remember what your goals are when it comes to your approach to nutrition. Mass just doesn't happen by accident, but is a result of high intensity training and sufficient eating. To increase mass, you need to eat more calories on a daily basis then your body uses for all its metabolic functions. Whilst your goal is + calories, you still need to focus on quality. Focus on lean cuts of meats, enough carbohydrates to meet your energy requirements, and don't forget the essentials fats. If after a week you have not increased in weight, slightly increase your total calorie consumption by 300-500 calories per day.
Most important, remember to consume a Hydrolised Whey Protein Isolate/high GIycemic Index carbohydrate drink directly before and after training for best results.
You will be happy to know that your fears are for nothing. The reason men become so much larger to women after weight training has minimal to do with the training itself, but is mostly hormonal. You see, men have a lot more Testosterone floating around their bodies then women do. Testosterone is the hormone responsible for the physical distinctions between men and women in regards to muscle size and strength. No matter how much or how hard a woman trains, she will not turn into a muscle bound male impersonator. There are some women who do seem to represent your fear, but it more then likely would be caused by the way they 'supplement' their training, if you know what I mean. The average women who is training for shape and tone has nothing to worry about.
Hey, do you want to know the fastest way to achieve a lean, toned physique - train like a guy! Common gym mentality instructs men to train with high weights, low reps to build muscle and women to train with low weight and high reps to 'shape' the muscle. You know why that is instructed - ignorance. Its the same 'old school' mentality that has been around for years, back when women only occupied the aerobic room. Weight training is basically a stimulus for your body to change, so with a bigger stimulus there is more chance of change. Weight training will NOT make you big.
The amount of food you need a day depends on entirely what your physique goals are. If you want to INCREASE your lean body mass, then you need to eat in a positive calorie manner. This means you need to eat more calories on a daily basis then your body actually needs to perform all its metabolic functions. If you want to DECREASE the amount of fat you are carrying, then you need to eat in a negative calorie manner. This means you need to eat less calories on a daily basis then your body actually needs to perform all its metabolic functions, so it draws energy from your reserve tank - your fat stores.
To increase size = more calories then required. To decrease size = less calories then required
Generally, yes. I say generally because even though they are mostly natural products, if abused then can become dangerous. Supplements are often touted as safe, natural alternatives to more harmful substances such as anabolic steroids. This would be a correct assumption, but some caution still needs to be taken. Some of today's most effective supplements, such as pro-hormones and thermogenic products are very effective at producing results, but many people feel that because they are 'natural' products, then they are 100% safe. This is where people can get into trouble. Supplement manufacturers make recommendations on dosages from sounds judgements based on scientific research and real world applications.
To ensure that your supplement program is not only effective but safe as well, stick to the directions on the bottle. If you have more questions about a particular product, you can always contact the manufacturer.
Building maximum muscle mass takes more then just simply hitting the weights in the gym. Not only do you need an effective nutrition strategy, but you need to be FIT. The best way to improve your fitness is with effective cardio training. The fitter you are, the better your performance will be in the gym. You will able to lift heavier weights, push with greater intensity and benefit from more muscular endurance. This will result in greater overall results - its that simple.
Many people stay clear from cardio training in the belief that it will negatively effect your results from weight training. This is just not the case. The fitter you are, the better your body will perform - both in its physical ability to build muscle and burn fat.
The best way (most effective AND efficient) to train is with high intensity training. High intensity training, both in the weight room and on the cardio track will produce results faster then any other way possible. An increase in fitness is exactly the same result as an increase in muscular size and strength. It is your body's way of coping in a highly stressful situation (physical training). Your body increases its fitness capacity in the hope that the next time you perform the same workout at the same capacity, it will be better equipped, and there's the catch. You must ALWAYS strive to improve on your performances, and this is the one way you can basically guarantee your results.
Ok, so what's the best method. With cardio training, stick to 'interval' sessions. This is where you vary the resistance of the exercise during the activity itself. The result being that you are able to generate a higher energy expenditure then if you stayed at a constant resistance. With the weight training, keep the weights high, and the reps low.