Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmic Voices
i wanted to ask how, if any of you knew, i could start building muscle.
i'm 511/6ft and only way like 135lbs. I've researched that i must weight gain, but im scared of gaining weight - then not knowing how to transform it into muscle - and so then ill be stuck being large  its a really tricky one. i only want to be slightly toned, nothing insanely muscly or anything. i run twice a week/yoga but these aren't really concentrating on my upper body/abs/arms. any tips on exercising or work out regimes?  |
Honestly I'd say 60% of it is diet. If you want to build muscle you have to start eating a balanced diet with a lot of protein. I recommend taking protein supplements (I've been using Muscle Milk since I was 16 and I swear by it; I eat protein bars too) or it'll just be way tougher than necessary. However, if protein shakes/bars scare you, just stick to a high-protein diet. Carbs are also hella important. They give you energy and give you mass, which makes building muscle easier. Vegetables are huge, too.
I do some form of exercise 6 days a week, but I only lift on 3 (sometimes 4) of those days. When I first started one day was shoulders and arms, one day was legs and back, and the third was chest and back. I also work abs/core on lifting days, and then I do some form of cardio on days I didn't lift (yoga, running, Karate). I follow a cycle of lifting for 3 weeks and then focusing on cardio for a week to recover.
It's great that you do yoga because it's great for your body and it helps prevent injury. The flexibility that you get from yoga will make every other workout you do easier and more effective. I also highly recommend Pilates (they do wonders for your abs). My biggest tips are:
1. Start off slow. Building muscle is a process, and you have to ease into it. When I first started working out it took almost 5 months before I could say I was truly in-shape. Also, knowing your limit is important.
2. Core work is extremely important. It's called "core" for a reason. The rest of your body depends on it. Planks are really underrated.
3. Since you wanna build lean muscle, I'd focus on using a weight in which you can get to 12-15 reps (make sure the last 3 are tough). Plyometric (jump training) exercises are great for building lean muscle in your legs. Consult google, there are a ton of exercises that use only your body weight.
4. Don't obsess over abs
I wouldn't work them more than 3 times a week.
5. Try to give each muscle group an off-day so they can repair themselves.
6. There's a 1 hour window after your workout when your body will absorb whatever you put into it more rapidly. That's a golden opportunity for a protein/recovery drink. Add some fruit each time you take protein. Our bodies naturally have issues with digesting protein; fruit helps it.
7. Don't neglect your shoulders. You can't build muscle in your arms, chest, or back without strengthening your shoulders, too.
Hope this helped
Any other questions just let me know
Off Topic....Anything Goes vol4
Kim Clijsters 
