Weight Loss Tips & Product Reviews

Muscles grow because they are overworked. That is, when excess stress is placed on the muscle, it will grow larger in order to handle the load. This is simply the way our bodies evolved. It simply would not be helpful to constantly have to struggle to handle increased physical activities. So, in order to reduce the physical stress, a muscle will grow to handle the workload. This is where weight training derives.

Basically, a number of weighted exercises are performed on the major muscle groups to overload the muscle and stimulate growth. The common way to do this is through the use of free weights. These come in the form of barbells or dumbbells. However, they are not the only means of placing weighted resistance on a muscle.

Machine weights have been used significantly as well. These weight systems either employ cable connected to the weights or the resistance is devised through air compression. Also, light intensity elastic cords have been used as well. Granted, while all these devices have there benefits, free weights are the best for placing stress on the muscles.

There are two types of weightlifting exercises: compound and isolated. Compound exercises involve using more than one muscle group with the intention of increasing mass. Isolated exercises are designed to improve the shape of a muscle or to rehab an injury. Common compound exercises include bench presses, shoulder presses, and squats.

Common isolation exercises include chest flyes, triceps press downs, and leg extensions. While some usually do one or the other, a mix of compound and isolation exercises works is usually the best way to go.

Exercises are performed in repetitions and sets. A repetition is the number of times the exercise is performed without stopping. A set refers to how many times a series of repetitions are performed. So, if you were to perform 15 bicep curls twice, this would be known as 2 sets of 15 reps.

When you want your muscles to grow, you will need an adequate among of weight combined with the proper number of sets and reps. 2 sets of 6 reps of 5lb bicep curls is probably not going to be enough to build muscle. 3 sets of 10 reps at 10lbs would probably achieve the desired results.

When it becomes too easy to perform a particular number of sets and rep, your muscle growth will plateau. That means you must change your number of sets, reps, and increase the amount of weight lifted. Or, more precisely, the adjustments must occur incrementally. Drastically increasing weight, sets, and reps will lead to burnout and decreased muscle growth.