TeamFLEX Newsletter

Weight Loss Spotlight

Build Muscle Advice

Women's Workout Question: Can I put on 10lbs of muscles in 1 month if I train really hard?

Build Muscle Advice: The truth is that the amount of muscle mass that you are able to put on is first of all genetic. Secondly you have to provide the muscles with the right fuel and you need to train really hard to even see any results at all. Third, age plays is a major factor in the equation. It's easier to put on quality muscle tissue in your twenties then in your late thirties. Having said this you are looking at, at least a year of hard core training to be able to put on 7-8lbs of lean muscle mass tissue.

Women's Workout Question: I train seven days a week, two hours a day and I don't see any muscle gain at all. What am I doing wrong?

Build Muscle Advice: More is not necessarily better when it comes to lifting weights. By training seven days a week you are most likely causing your muscles to go into catabolism and breaking down completely. The muscle need as much rest as training to grow or get stronger. Without rest, there will be no muscle building at all. Two hours a session might also be a little too long. You should be able to get in and out of the gym in an hour and still get a good quality workout.

Women's Workout Question: I train legs four times a week but I don't feel like they are getting any bigger at all?

Build Muscle Advice: Since your leg muscles are such a large muscle group, they need at least 48 hours of recuperation after a workout before you train them again. If your legs are a weak muscle group you might want to hit them twice a week but if you train them hard and train them right, it should be enough to split train your quads on day one and your hamstrings and calves on the fourth day.

Women's Workout Question: I am woman in my twenties who work out four days a week with weights and I am so afraid that training with weights is going to make me big and muscular. Could that really happened?

Build Muscle Advice: Women are genetically not able to gain the same amount of muscle mass as men. There is also different ways to train depending on what results you are trying to achieve. If you are training to gain muscles, you need to train heavy, 3-4 sets to the point of failure in each set and stay within 8-12 repetitions per set. If you are training to tone and sculpt you should keep the weights moderately light and go for 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions.

Women's Workout Question: Is eating two meals a day enough if I want get bigger and put on more muscles?

Build Muscle Advice: When it comes to training and building muscles, the diet and the value of your nutrition is responsible for 80% of your results. Training hard and not eating the right food is like trying to drive a car on the wrong fuel. It will drive but it won't drive very well.

You have to feed your muscles the food they need in order for them to grow. When it comes to muscle food, it's all about protein. Your muscles feed of protein and with a diet deficient in protein your muscle is going to starve and break down instead. For each pound of bodyweight you need between 0.8-1lb of protein. If you train extremely hard, you might need a little bit more.

Women's Workout Question: I train my whole body five times a week but see none or very little results? What am I doing wrong and why can't I put any size on?

Build Muscle Advice: To train your whole body five times a week won't make you gain size. It will lean you out if anything. You need to use a split muscle group training program. A split training routine will train two muscle groups together each training session. Train your quads on day one, back and shoulders on day two, rest completely on day three, train hamstrings and calves on day four, chest and arms on day five and rest on day six. Then start this routine all over again. You can train your abs at every upper body workout or whenever you feel you have the best energy for it.

Women's Workout Question: Are there any supplements that I can take to put muscle mass on?

Build Muscle Advice: Sports supplements are available to supplement your diet, hence the name, so make sure you already have a decent five meals a day healthy diet before you start taking supplements. You can use a good weight gaining powder to assure your caloric intake is high enough, glutamine to enhance your recovery after your workout and creatine monohydrate to get a better pump and gain some strength during your workout. Besides that, you could probably benefit from a multivitamin and mineral supplement.

Women's Workout Question: Do I need carbohydrates to put muscle mass on?

Build Muscle Advice: Your muscle won't grow from a high carbohydrate intake but you need the carbohydrates in order to produce the energy you will need to last your workout and to train hard. Your brain is also depending on carbohydrates to function properly.

Women's Workout Question: How can I make sure I put on lean muscle mass compared to muscle mass and fat mass?

Build Muscle Advice: In order to keep your body fat percentage low while trying to gain muscles you should first of all try to keep your diet clean and low in extra fat calories. You can also do a couple of cardio sessions on the treadmill or the stationary bike per week to make sure you metabolism stays on target and doesn't slow down.