Fit Not Fad: Building Muscle

Join Bianca as she discusses the ins and outs of building muscle in episode six of the Fit Not Fad podcast.

Bianca: Hi and welcome to episode six of the Fit Not Fad podcast. In this episode we will be discussing muscle growth, also known as hypertrophy. So if you’re looking to build those biceps or fill out those jeans, this is the episode for you. 

In this episode, we will talk about building your exercise program to target specific muscles, the proper combination of sets, reps and weight for muscle growth, nutritional basics and the benefits of larger muscles.

To start us off, we need to get intentional about the exercises we are doing.

Target Muscles With Your Program

It may seem obvious, but if you are looking to grow a specific muscle or muscle groups, you need to perform exercises that target them. The best approach to targeting them, is to remove the guesswork from your exercise program. 

You may think an exercise is focused on a specific muscle or group of muscles, but do you know for sure? Taking the time to do a little research into the exercises you are performing can make a big difference. And if you have any questions, you can always ask a professional such as myself.

For example, you may think that your leg press routine is targeting your glutes, but the positioning of your feet may be targeting another muscle group all together. If your feet are too low on the surface of the leg press, you’re actually working primarily on your quads. Sliding your feet up will help re-adjust your focus.

Taking the time to understand what exercises are targeting can benefit you in three ways. One, you will actually work on the intended muscles. Two - for the most part - you will be able to feel if you are performing it correctly. And three, this can help prevent muscle imbalances that are accidently created by overworking one group of muscles, and ignoring another.       

Sets, Reps & Load for Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)

Once you have identified the exercises you are going to perform, you’ll need to understand the amount of sets you are going to do, the reps within those sets and the weight you are using. 

When exercising for hypertrophy, generally, you will be reducing the amount of reps and increasing the weight. When talking about the weight used to exercise - also known as the load - fitness professionals measure it as a percentage of your one rep max. 

For example, if you can bench press 100 pounds one time, 50 percent of this one rep max would be 50 pounds. 

Studies show that using at least 75 percent of your one-rep max is the best method for achieving muscle growth. This is a resistance that usually allows you to complete eight to ten reps at a time.

The amount of sets and reps someone will want to perform should have an inverse relationship with the load. More weight means less reps, and less reps means more weight. 

Generally, although this can vary, individuals should plan to do between four and six sets with four to eight reps per set. Also, it is good to keep in mind that breaks should be taken in between each set when lifting for hypertrophy. 

Nutrition

Let’s say you’ve identified your exercises and perfectly executed the balance between sets, reps and load. All done right? Wrong. That was only half of the battle. Nutrition is a critical aspect of recovery and will play a big role in helping you build muscle.

There are several factors that come into play, including your protein source, protein quantity, carbohydrate intake, supplements and when you take all of these in. 

After a singular workout session, the protein breakdown and synthesis in your muscles can increase from anywhere between 40 to 150 percent. However, this process needs fuel and building blocks.

Evidence shows that whey and soy proteins act as a trigger for the muscle growth process. Casein and milk - on the other hand - help decrease muscle breakdown. And although exercise science has not crowned any of these sources as the “best” for muscle growth, whey and casein are typically recommended. 

However, don’t go snorting protein powder just yet, Arnold. 20 grams of enriched or purified protein, or eight to ten grams of essential amino acids, are all you need to stimulate that muscle growth process. Excess protein provides no additional benefit. 

This muscle growth process is the most active immediately after completion of the workout. However, do not stress if you don’t have protein on hand. The window for supplementing this process lasts anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after exercise. 

Along with a sufficient protein boost post-lift, it is recommended to pair it with carbohydrates. That’s right, carbs. When you eat carbs, your body releases insulin. Insulin acts as a regulator of protein metabolism and helps your muscle tissue soak up amino acids. 

The result, a more effective muscle building process. 

When looking at workout supplements, be careful. There is a lot of garbage out there. In general, less is usually more. Focus less on the shiny packaging and celebrity endorsements, and more on the actual ingredients.

Benefits of Building Muscle

Some may have their reasons to try and grow their muscles, but regardless, the benefits of larger muscles are all the same.

Muscles require calories just to exist. The larger your muscles are, the more calories they require. The amount of calories your body burns in a day without exercise is called your resting metabolism.

By increasing muscle size, and in turn the amount of calories burned, you are increasing your resting metabolism. Looking to lose weight in a sustainable way? This is how it’s done. 

Because these larger muscles are burning more calories and exerting more energy, they are also producing more heat. This causes the amount of calories you burn when exercising to increase. It is like a domino effect of fitness. Pretty cool.

Of course, some may consider larger muscles to be attractive. And if nothing else, you’ll be stronger for it.

I hope you enjoyed this episode and that this information was useful to you. If you did, and if it was, please share this with a friend, family member or on your social media. Until next episode, thanks for tuning in and go build those muscles.