If your goal is simply to lose fat, there are two ways this can be accomplished: additional activity or a reduction in calories. (Note: this cannot be achieved with a pill, a wrap, or a drink. But thats a topic for another time.) Losing fat will result in a smaller version of you. Your general body shape will not change. Only its size. If you were a pear before, youll be a pear after. Youll just be a smaller pear. If you would like to alter the shape of your body, resistance training must be utilized. For those that want a better butt or toned arms or a flat stomach. If these are things that dont naturally occur for you, resistance training is a must. At the very crux of resistance training is the idea of progressive overload. Simply put, you need to do more work over time. When stresses are placed on the body which the body is not used to, the body will become stronger through the process of adaptation. With strength comes additional fat-free mass. Tendons, ligaments, and ultimately muscle will hypertrophy (get bigger) as a result. Leaving you with a firm booty, bigger biceps, or wider shoulders. Progressive overload can be accomplished in three main ways: 1. Using heavier weights with the same reps. 2. Performing more reps with the same weight. 3. Using the same reps and weights with shorter rest periods. Options 2 and 3 have limitations. Option 2, more reps at the same weight, gets redundant and time consuming. This is the individual who has strengthened a muscle and does way too many repetitions. Think Ron Burgandy in his office. Option 3 has finite limitations. Theres only so much time, and you can only limit your rest periods for so long. Eventually, they will be non existent. Option 1 seems to be the most logical, sustainable choice for most of us. So, how do we program this? Simple. Pick a rep number of your choice. Anywhere between 6 and 12. Choose an exercise and a weight. Perform it as many times as you can. Did you get your desired reps? If you did, then go up five pounds next session. If you did not, then next session, try to do more. And if you get your desired reps, go up the following session. This is called a linear progression and is most often used in novice and intermediate lifters. It rests on the idea that amateur lifters can progress without the need for fancy programming for a good length of time. Often years. But one thing is for certain: If you grab the same dumbbells every time you do your shoulder presses, your tricep extensions, or your bench presses, your body isnt changing. Simple as that. -Jason
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:17:53 +0000
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