THE ARTICLE
Men usually think of “cut” muscles that define their body, while women fear that they will bulk up and look less feminine. In fact, while men may develop more noticeable muscles than women, major muscular changes on either gender aren’t particularly likely unless they dedicate a significant portion of their time to lifting weights.
However, muscle researchers are letting us know that bulk doesn’t matter when it comes to muscles. Whether you will develop big muscles depends a lot on genetics, hormones and time spent at the gym. But what’s important to your health is whether or not you use them at all. Healthy muscles are used, worked, and stressed until they get stronger and are able to carry you through the years with strength and power. This means lifting weights, not necessarily in the gym, but using body weight or mechanical weight of some kind to train your muscles.
If you don’t strengthen your muscles, they will gradually atrophy over time. As we get older we risk falling and breaking bones due to lack of muscle tone. In a nutshell, loss of muscular strength is life limiting, and can result in a loss of our independence and mobility. We need our muscles to be strong in order to continue to be able to climb stairs, carry items, and open jars. You’re never too old to lift weights; research shows that even older people can lift weights and gain strength. You’re also almost never too ill; there are safe ways to lift weights even if you have a chronic health condition or other limitations. In fact, lifting weights may help ameliorate the symptoms of some chronic diseases. A few sessions with a personal trainer can help you be sure the exercises are appropriate for you and that they are being done properly in order to result in healthy muscles.
What exactly are healthy muscles? Healthy muscles have both strength and endurance. Endurance is developed by doing activities like walking that pump blood to your muscles. To develop strength you need to lift weights, focusing your efforts on the muscles of the back and legs, as well as those of the upper body.
A third component to healthy muscles is lifting weights correctly. Many people use improper technique or weights that are too light, resulting in neither strong muscles nor ones with endurance. Women’s fear of bulking up often leads them to lift weights that are too light to develop healthy muscles.
The most effective way to develop muscular strength is by using progressive resistance. Progressive resistance involves some days in which you can lift weights 8 to 10 times before your muscles tire. On other days, you use weights you can lift 12 to 15 times, and other times, you should lift weights you can only lift 3 to 5 times before they tire out. One of the most important things to keep in mind is balance in your workout programme. You must work opposing muscle groups in order not to have one group become disproportionately stronger than the other. For example, you need to work both the chest and the back muscles, the thighs and the gluteals, the biceps and the triceps. Generally, the larger muscles should be worked first, such as the upper back and chest, then the shoulders and arms, and then the abdomen and lower back. It is also critical to rest at least a day in between workouts so muscles can recover. You can lift weights on successive days; you simply need to work different muscle groups on each day.
The benefits of lifting weights go beyond looks. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so having stronger muscles will help keep your metabolism running on high and your body fat minimal. Strong muscles also make the activities of daily life easier. Whether it’s raking the yard, carrying your kids or your groceries, vacuuming, or playing tennis, strong muscles will make it all seem like a breeze.
In addition, you won’t have to worry about becoming one of those people who have strong minds and hearts but weak muscles. Those people have trouble catching themselves when they fall, and they may not be able to get up.
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