Training for strength vs. training for mass.?!
Question: Training for strength vs!. training for mass!.!?
Ive been training for mass for months and ive gotten noticably bigger!. But now it seems that im gonna stop mass training for a bit because ive been lacking on my protein consumption!.
I came to the conclusion that i want to train for pure strength for a few months then go back to mass!. Problem is i dont really know the rules for strength training!. What should my workouts include!? What about sets and reps!?
Now the other question is how can i train for strength when i can only workout tuesdays/thursdays/fridays!. Sundays if i feel like it!. Im still interested in getting bigger and if i can get bigger with a pure-strength training routine than thats just a win-win situation for me!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
I came to the conclusion that i want to train for pure strength for a few months then go back to mass!. Problem is i dont really know the rules for strength training!. What should my workouts include!? What about sets and reps!?
Now the other question is how can i train for strength when i can only workout tuesdays/thursdays/fridays!. Sundays if i feel like it!. Im still interested in getting bigger and if i can get bigger with a pure-strength training routine than thats just a win-win situation for me!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Ok well strength training is very similar to mass training in that your muscles will still get bigger!. When i first started training i was annoyed that people who were simply fat could lift my weights and higher just because they were fat and not through any actual effort or fitness!.
Anyway, work on the overload principle for both mass and strength training (i find it hard to tell the difference personally)!. That is, use so much weight that you can do at least 4 reps, but by the time you reach your 6th rep you can barely finish!. Compreenda!? So for example lets say you bench 50kgs now and can do 8 reps, that means its too light and you should add more weight so when you reach your 6th rep you can barely finish!.
Basically do weights 4 days a week - 1 for each body part: legs, arms, back and chest!. Doing it each body part once a week gives them time to recover!. You might notice you develop a mental resistance to waiting that long to work the muscle again but it worked for me!
If you can afford it, try eating a protein bar while your warming up!. Some people prefer to eat after training, but if you eat while you warm up by the time your done training it will be digested and go straight to the muscles to help them recover!. Otherwise, try eating something full of protein!. I personally have a can of tuna when i cant get my hands on a protein bar and it works well!.
Ok now here are some suggestions for your workout routine!. I myself do these!. The number of sets does not include warm up sets!. If your confused about any of the exercises have a look on youtube or consult a trainer!. i AM NOT a qualified trainer these are just suggestions always consult a pro etc, etc!.
Monday: Arms: Barbell curls (2 sets), dumbell curls (2 sets), overhead tricep extensions(2 sets), lying tricep extensions (2 sets), cable curls (2 sets), preacher curls (2 sets)
Tuesday: chest: Bench press (2 sets), Decline bench press (2 sets), dumbell flys (2 sets), cable flys (2 sets), dips (1 set)
Wednesday: Legs: Squats (3 sets), Leg press (2 sets), LEg extensions (2 sets), calf press (3 sets), leg curls (2 sets) - Remember to warm up both parts of the leg the calves and the quads!
Thursday: Back and shoulders: Seated rows (3 sets), Pullups (2 sets), Shoulder press (2 sets), deadlifts (3 sets), lat pull downs (2 sets), lateral side raises (2 sets), shoulder shrugs (2 sets)
Now as for abs i do them every 2nd night before i catch my winks!.
I do about 10 exercises ive forgotten most of their names lol but the important ones are: crunches, full body crunch, superman crunch, "in and outs" as i call them, situps (be careful with situps if done incorrectly you can hurt your back), and "elbows to knees"!. Jumble up your abs routine i do new exercises all the time and trust me there are ALOT of abs exercises!
a run in the morning wont hurt either!.
"but matt, i said i wanted to gain weight" i hear you ask!. Thats absolutely right johnny!. But we want to gain muscle, not fat! 3 days a week you should go for a run as soon as you wake up without eating anything before you go!. Down a glass of water and get out that door as soon as possible!. Running or jogging for 30 mins as soon as you wake up burns maximum fat!. That said, you dont absoultely positively have to full on run for 30 mins!. That puts too much strain on your heart!. Set yourself landmarks to run to instead!. Run to that lamp post, then walk till the next bend and run down the next street etc!.
While your not training you should be eating!. This is probably the hardest part of gaining weight!. Eat whenever you dont feel full!. Try lots of small meals throughout the day instead of just brekky lunch and dins!. Try a big spoonful of peanut butter or a nice big steak as a snack, or a can of tuna or couple of apples!. While fruit isnt the best weight-gain food it is certainly healthy and will you keep feeling good!.
Anyway, i hope you made some sense out of all that and it helps you!. Gimme a buzz if you need some more tips or adviceWww@Answer-Health@Com
Anyway, work on the overload principle for both mass and strength training (i find it hard to tell the difference personally)!. That is, use so much weight that you can do at least 4 reps, but by the time you reach your 6th rep you can barely finish!. Compreenda!? So for example lets say you bench 50kgs now and can do 8 reps, that means its too light and you should add more weight so when you reach your 6th rep you can barely finish!.
Basically do weights 4 days a week - 1 for each body part: legs, arms, back and chest!. Doing it each body part once a week gives them time to recover!. You might notice you develop a mental resistance to waiting that long to work the muscle again but it worked for me!
If you can afford it, try eating a protein bar while your warming up!. Some people prefer to eat after training, but if you eat while you warm up by the time your done training it will be digested and go straight to the muscles to help them recover!. Otherwise, try eating something full of protein!. I personally have a can of tuna when i cant get my hands on a protein bar and it works well!.
Ok now here are some suggestions for your workout routine!. I myself do these!. The number of sets does not include warm up sets!. If your confused about any of the exercises have a look on youtube or consult a trainer!. i AM NOT a qualified trainer these are just suggestions always consult a pro etc, etc!.
Monday: Arms: Barbell curls (2 sets), dumbell curls (2 sets), overhead tricep extensions(2 sets), lying tricep extensions (2 sets), cable curls (2 sets), preacher curls (2 sets)
Tuesday: chest: Bench press (2 sets), Decline bench press (2 sets), dumbell flys (2 sets), cable flys (2 sets), dips (1 set)
Wednesday: Legs: Squats (3 sets), Leg press (2 sets), LEg extensions (2 sets), calf press (3 sets), leg curls (2 sets) - Remember to warm up both parts of the leg the calves and the quads!
Thursday: Back and shoulders: Seated rows (3 sets), Pullups (2 sets), Shoulder press (2 sets), deadlifts (3 sets), lat pull downs (2 sets), lateral side raises (2 sets), shoulder shrugs (2 sets)
Now as for abs i do them every 2nd night before i catch my winks!.
I do about 10 exercises ive forgotten most of their names lol but the important ones are: crunches, full body crunch, superman crunch, "in and outs" as i call them, situps (be careful with situps if done incorrectly you can hurt your back), and "elbows to knees"!. Jumble up your abs routine i do new exercises all the time and trust me there are ALOT of abs exercises!
a run in the morning wont hurt either!.
"but matt, i said i wanted to gain weight" i hear you ask!. Thats absolutely right johnny!. But we want to gain muscle, not fat! 3 days a week you should go for a run as soon as you wake up without eating anything before you go!. Down a glass of water and get out that door as soon as possible!. Running or jogging for 30 mins as soon as you wake up burns maximum fat!. That said, you dont absoultely positively have to full on run for 30 mins!. That puts too much strain on your heart!. Set yourself landmarks to run to instead!. Run to that lamp post, then walk till the next bend and run down the next street etc!.
While your not training you should be eating!. This is probably the hardest part of gaining weight!. Eat whenever you dont feel full!. Try lots of small meals throughout the day instead of just brekky lunch and dins!. Try a big spoonful of peanut butter or a nice big steak as a snack, or a can of tuna or couple of apples!. While fruit isnt the best weight-gain food it is certainly healthy and will you keep feeling good!.
Anyway, i hope you made some sense out of all that and it helps you!. Gimme a buzz if you need some more tips or adviceWww@Answer-Health@Com
You should do 3 sets of 3-5 reps for strength!. This type of workout is also good for building mass because it works the muscles at a deep level!.
I would workout your upper body on tuesday and thursday, your lower body friday, and do 20 sets of some pushups and situps if you feel like it on sundays!.
E-mail me with questions!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I would workout your upper body on tuesday and thursday, your lower body friday, and do 20 sets of some pushups and situps if you feel like it on sundays!.
E-mail me with questions!.Www@Answer-Health@Com