5 ways to increase muscle mass and strength
Going to the gym and working on your fitness is about so much more than weight loss, as many of us are women are looking to improve our health, increase confidence, build muscle mass, improve overall fitness, meet new people and all of the above! If you’re aiming to improve strength and better body composition, keep reading.
When setting fitness goals, many women still shy away from lifting weights because they think they might look ‘bulky’, but in reality, strength training together with proper nutrition can make you leaner and healthier. Regular exercise leads to improved muscle mass and greater fat loss. Plus, achieving a very muscular physique requires very strict training and a specific diet. Women working towards this would tell you it certainly doesn’t happen easily!
Here are some tips that will help you increase muscle mass and strength during your workouts.
1. Lift heavier weights
When you want to increase muscle mass and strength, you need to lift heavy. In doing so, you place a greater demand to your body so it can adapt and make some gains. If you are a beginner, doing body weight exercises may be enough to build the foundations in your strength. If you have been going to the gym a longer time already, get out of your comfort zone and break your own personal record in some of your favourite exercises. Of course, do this in a safe way and under the guidance of a personal trainer, who can support you with appropriate weight increases and form.
2. Increase volume and frequency in training
With the right number of sets and reps, this will help in training your muscles depending on your goals. If you lift heavy weights with less reps (around 5-6 reps), you are building muscle strength while doing more reps and training for muscle endurance.
Training for more days in a week (4-6 days) is also great for increasing muscle mass. Consistency with your workout routines is important since it keeps you in track with how much you are improving. It will be very helpful if you keep a record in your phone or notebook, logging in how many reps, sets and weight you have done with your workout programs.
3. Choose the right exercises
When building a workout program for yourself, choose exercises that involve larger muscle groups such as squats, deadlifts, pulls and presses. This way, your body will be able to burn more energy and stimulate your muscles better. When you want to build a specific part of your body, add in more exercises for that muscle group in your routine.
Check out our range of strength classes.
4. Fuel your body
You won’t be able to lift heavy and train more times in week if you don’t eat properly. Having the right amount of your macronutrients is essential when you want to build more muscle and gain strength. Consuming balanced meals will give you enough fuel to power through your workouts especially when lifting weights and also help you in your recovery.
5. Get enough rest
Allowing your body to rest and recover is sometimes overlooked when it comes to muscle and strength building. Whether it is resting in between sets or getting more hours of beauty sleep at home, it is still an important part of your progress in your fitness journey. Rest is where the magic happens!
Try our FIIT30 classes as a way to combine strength and cardio. Find out more here.
