Can you answer Bman31164’s question about Bodybuilding?:

I’m a 44 year old man and I work out regularly at a gym about 5 days/week. My routine consists of weight training followed by running on a treadmill. I feel like my training has hit a plateau over the last 2 months. What is a good alternative to weight training and running that might help to shake things up and shock my body out of this plateau state?

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One of the most sought after bodybuilding goals is definition, where body fat is shed so that muscles appear far more visibly impressive, yet exactly how is such a goal achieved while maintaining precious muscle mass? This question has left many bodybuilders confused and extremely frustrated as they experience significant muscle loss when attempting to enhance definition. While some may understand that improving muscle definition is contingent upon modifying specific diet variables for significant fat loss, others feel as if a change in weight training techniques is the primary fuel for improving muscle definition. When adopting such a principle, one of the most popular bodybuilding techniques is to enhance rep range, where lighter weight is used to allow for a higher than normal amount of reps per set, and some believe that this weight training method will bring muscle definition to new heights, therefore some adopt an exclusive lower weight and higher rep approach to weight lifting during a fat loss period.

I cannot vouch for exactly where this bodybuilding theory originated, but speculate that because lactic acid buildup in muscles occurs when performing high rep bodybuilding workouts, and therefore causes a muscle “burn” that is not present when using heavier weights, some became convinced that this was targeting the muscle in a more direct way, and thus must bring definition to levels far beyond what is possible with lower rep ranges. It’s also possible that cardiovascular fatigue accompanying higher rep weight lifting workout sessions causes some to feel that they are burning more fat, and therefore they pursue such techniques when muscle definition is the primary goal. The problem with these theories is that a weight lifting component of a workout session is not designed to burn fat or increase definition, but rather to enhance muscle size and strength, and therefore must be utilized with this specific goal in mind.

By increasing rep range to address definition, the bodybuilder in effect will reduce the overload he or she provides to muscle tissue, and will inevitably begin to burn away a portion of muscle mass that was built with higher weight and lower reps. Instead of enhancing definition, this specific weight training technique will work against this very goal by harming muscle, as higher reps have no more of a positive impact on muscle definition than low reps, but they do offer a lower level of overload and fatigue, limiting muscle gains, and risking muscle mass when following a lower calorie diet for fat loss.

Therefore, a bodybuilder should continue to train with a proper combination of high and low reps in order to preserve muscle mass while working towards definition, and focus on modifying diet variables to encourage fat loss, which is the key behind improving definition in all muscle groups. But is there a workout modification or addition that will accelerate the fat loss process? Yes, and the technique does not involve any modifications to the weight lifting workout, but does stimulate the cardiovascular system to enhance metabolism and overall fat burning; aerobic activity is the key to boosting the speed of fat loss, and is often ignored by bodybuilders to the detriment of their physique. Even when pursuing muscle gains, aerobics assists in controlling body fat levels, so in addition to a disciplined weight lifting routine comprised of high and low rep ranges, aerobics is a very important concept in producing maximum muscle definition, and should become a standard aspect of any bodybuilding workout routine.

If you are seeking muscle definition, and find results to be disappointing, do not adopt a high rep range for your weight lifting workouts, but rather first analyze your diet, which is the primary factor behind body fat gain or loss, and then aim for consistent aerobic activity, preferably five days per week if your schedule allows, and once these variables are intact, you will begin to experience body fat reduction and definition improvements that will bring all of your muscle gains to the skin’s surface. If you are currently performing regular aerobic activity, make sure intensity is sufficient, as a walking pace is not sufficiently challenging to the body for any significant metabolism boost, and remember that no workout variable, whether it be weight training or aerobic activity, can substitute for a properly designed fat loss diet, so focus on how you eat for the most dramatic improvements in muscle definition.



Thanks to Francesco Castano for contributing this article to our Bodybuilding blog:

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Can you answer youresoscene_xxx’s question about Bodybuilding?:

I read an article online that was saying doing cardio before weight training is counter productive and that you should do weight training before cardio because when you weight train first, you’re burning off the carbs, and when you do your cardio you’re actually burn off the fat?

I generally do weight training for about 15-20 minutes. I do about 7 or 8 different machines, and I also do 50 minutes on the elliptical daily. By putting weight training first on the days I do both, would that actually help burn fat faster?

Good Bodybuilding Diet

Weight training should be a part of anyone’s lifestyle. As long as you are able-bodied and physically healthy, it should be a vital part of your daily or weekly exercise regime. Don’t get me wrong - weight training does not mean that you would be required to become an Olympic-class body-builder. Hardly. In fact, most people who train with weights do so simply to improve muscle strength, tone their bodies and burn fat.

Building up strength with the use of weights is key to maintaining a lean muscle mass and ensuring that the body’s rate of burning fat (or known as the metabolic rate) is at the highest peaks. Having high levels of energy, strength and power is also beneficial in the long run, as it contributes to a more active lifestyle and reduces the risk of injury when doing heavy chores, or going about one’s life. The best method in improving muscle strength and power is with dumbbell exercises.

Dumbells can be used for every muscle group and their versatility ensures a high range of exercises for any body part. This keeps the workouts fresh and your muscles guessing, a much needed combination to shatter plateus and have lean body mass growing at a phenomenal rate. The good thing about using dumbells is the fact that they follow the natural movements of the body and unlike machines, do not restrict movement. Movement restriction is dangerous because it can lead to overstrain and immenently injury - which spells the end of anyones workout session.When you workout, it needs to be fluid and it needs to be dynamic, and you have to be able to change the angle of attack - sometimes even mid exersice. The more ways you can shake up the workout, the more your muscles will grow.

Dumbell exercises also use a lot of stabilising muscles - which means whatever you do, for example it can be a dumbell shoulder press; your back, your arms, the rest of your shoulders and even your abs are roped into stabilise the body and the weight. This means that it strengthens a lot of secondary muscles and helps to develop a balanced posture. This strict form building regime is incorporated everytime you workout and eventually you will have a natural form and can concentrate on just building strangth and power. Dumbells are also extremely versatile and are progressive beasts - they reward hard work faster than machines or other forms of exercise. You will see yourself going up the ladder and lifting heavier within weeks.

With more than 400 different types of exercise, there is no lack of workouts you can plan for an entire year. Use heavy dumbells for compound movements and light ones to stretch and tone the muscles. As you advance, you will find dumbells are excellent for advanced workout techniques like supersets and compound super sets, combining differeng body parts and workouts within one giant set. Really get a sweat in and a good workout out using dumbells. Have a look on the internet, it is one of the best physical trainers you can find - dispensing excellent advice from a range of fitness professionals about using dumbells to improv muscle strength and power.



Thanks to Liam Murphy for contributing this article to our Bodybuilding blog:

Dumbbell Weight Set

Can you answer Marcello’s question about Bodybuilding?:

I have been working out doing 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight training 5 days a week. I inquired about what is best, to do the cardio before or after, and all the answers I got told me I should be doing them on separate days. Is this accurate?

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