Why Everyone should BUILD SOME MUSCLE

Extremepullup performing a muscle-up -
a variant on the standard pull-up.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In these days of health crazes and the numerous types of advice  on diet and  lifestyles it is wise to sit back and  research what you want to do  and have the most efficient way possible to get it done. A half hour of aerobic training a couple times a week just isn’t going to cut it to keep you healthy through your lifetime.  As we age out routines and bodies change and require different strategies to stay healthy.

It has been recommended by the medical experts on training Americans, ALL of them, men and women, should strength train at least twice a week  to work all the major muscles as well as doing some aerobic activity. Adults 65 and older should strength train with less weight and more repetitions two to three times a week.

The public is finally seeing to build muscle you don’t need to have big equipment and gyms or even a trainer. Just some common sense and a good diet will do a lot to build muscle and maintain health. The things that building muscle can do for you are  give you an improved body, better immune system for fighting off illnesses and a faster metabolism so fat burning is easier .

It is said that without proper use and exercise we can possibly lose only 5 to 7 pounds of muscle per decade!  And since we gain fat as we get older this is a recipe for disaster in the making. And we know that besides building muscle, strength training is a help in adding bone density and potentially prevent osteoporosis.  We should all do some strength training to just keep ahead of getting out of condition and making life worse as we get older.

Building muscle is good at any age as long as you start according to your condition now and don’t over do it.  Muscle building that involves the whole body such as squats, bicep curls and bench presses are the best to do as they burn more calories and involve big groups of muscles. 

You should alter your program every month and a half or so to avoid boredom and the plateaus in muscle building that happen. And don’t forget your cardio workouts. These are important for building the most important muscle, your heart!  As with any new exercise, if you are a beginner start slowly to begin to build muscle if you aren’t used to the work out you can hurt yourself trying to lift too much. 

Keeping your muscles toned isn’t necessarily about continually lifting heavier weights. It is the way you lift and how many reps you do that work to build muscle and maintain it.  And don’t forget your nutrition!  Plenty of protein, fruit and vegetables at every meal is what you need.  Watch that fat! You don’t need nearly as much as you might think even for serious body building.

Drinking plenty of water it is essential for life and all body processes.  Eat foods in as natural a state as possible: raw or steamed for veggies. Please cook the meat, however! Men and women can follow these same guidelines for their muscle building and cardio fitness though the number of calories and the workout length may need to vary as it does between individuals anyway.  If you are older, don’t stop if you are in training now, it is the best thing you can do for the rest of your life!  If you follow a good diet along with a routine you should have results with you building muscle and re toning what is already there. If you are a beginner, start slowly and in no time you will be healthier and feel much better about yourself as you build muscle and your health!

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