Big Weights = Building Big Muscles ?
Monday, August 15, 2005
Human body is an adaptive machine. Heavy weights really play a very important part in building bigger muscles. They help you literally rip and tear muscle fibre so it grows back stronger. But to keep your muscles guessing, and for consistent, minimum pain muscle growth, you need to work with lighter weights at regular intervals.
For each exercise, lift your absolute maximum, once. Then, carry out high-rep sets (15-25 reps per set) with weights set at 25% of the initial maximum weight. According to Chad Waterbury (Source: Men's Health (August 2005, page 62), a strength and conditioning coach, working with these will help deliver essential oxygen, amino acids and hormones to the muscles, without any major trauma occurring to the muscle-or the people around you.
The more variation you can build into your routine the better the results. Occasionally including high reps in your routine is a great way to shock your muscles into new growth. It also gives your joints a break from constant pounding with heavy weights.
For each exercise, lift your absolute maximum, once. Then, carry out high-rep sets (15-25 reps per set) with weights set at 25% of the initial maximum weight. According to Chad Waterbury (Source: Men's Health (August 2005, page 62), a strength and conditioning coach, working with these will help deliver essential oxygen, amino acids and hormones to the muscles, without any major trauma occurring to the muscle-or the people around you.
The more variation you can build into your routine the better the results. Occasionally including high reps in your routine is a great way to shock your muscles into new growth. It also gives your joints a break from constant pounding with heavy weights.
