You might not realize how much fun a weight lifting routine can be when you do it safely and in the right way. You will love the workout you are getting, the results you are receiving, and the benefits you are reaping due to building muscle. You will first need to come up with an exercise plan that works for you. This article is a great stepping stone to get you on your way.
If you set short-term goals, then reward yourself each time you reach a goal, you will become more motivated. It takes a long time to build muscle so do not get discouraged and do not give up. Give yourself healthy rewards along the way to stay motivated. One good idea of a healthy reward is getting a massage.
If you’re planning to engage in extreme cardiovascular exercise, leave your weight training on hold for a while. Although cardio can help improve your general physical health and fitness, it can negate the effects of strength training exercises. When you are trying to build up your muscle mass, concentrate more on your strength exercises and a little less on conditioning.
Limit your workouts to no more than 60 minutes. After sixty minutes, your body will begin to produce increased amounts of the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol blocks testosterone and puts to waste any of your efforts to build muscle. Keeping your workouts under an hour should provide optimal results.
Try to create a body that looks bigger than your body may actually be. You can achieve this by focusing your training efforts on your chest, shoulders and upper back. Doing so will often create the illusion that your waist is smaller then it really is, giving you an appearance of greater upper body girth.
Some people mistakenly consume too much extra protein at the beginning of their muscle-building program. Often, this increases caloric intake and can lead to more fat gain. Ease your way into a high-protein diet so that your body has a chance to adjust. Gradually raising your intake by two or three hundred calories at two- or three-day intervals is wise.
Only exercise three or four times each week. This allows your muscles to repair and rebuild themselves with a bit of rest. If you overwork your body you have a greater chance of getting an injury and then needing to take time off to let it heal.
With some weight lifting exercises, keeping the amount that you are lifting to a minimum will benefit you. When done incorrectly, many moves such as split squats can cause injury to muscles and joints if you are carrying too high a weight. Use the heavy weights for exercises like rows, presses, squats and deads.
If you workout your muscles, you will be adding a lot of benefits to your life, even though the thought of being muscular does not appeal to you. It can boost your self-esteem, make you stronger, better your joints, and improve your lung function when you do light or medium cardio routines.
Achieving a body that is healthy and strong feels incredible, and increasing your lean muscle is an excellent method of beginning. Along with cardiovascular exercise, make sure to increase results with weight training. Use them together and you may be surprised with the quick results you see.