Sports Fitness and Nutrition

You cannot build muscle in a short span of time! It takes hard work, discipline, and persistence. And that's only a part of it. There is no magic formula - or supplement.

Way to tell it like it is, NaturalPro!

If lifting weights was easy, everyone would do it.

I have trained a lot and i always she young guys training like it is a competition, more weight, more weight. and a lot of wasted motion.

But they forget it is to strain the muscles during the whole movement, so correct posture and slow movement is the key.

I always see them watch me using less weight than them. But i got more muscles

at least until i stopped training

Epke,

Before you stopped training you were definitely on the right track! It is not how much you lift, but how you lift it that matters most.

So if you're trying to build muscle mass how many reps should you do

Generally no less than 8, no more than 15. For mass and most notably strength the lower end (8) is ideal but you can still build mass at the higher end (15). Form and muscle cell recruitment throughout each rep is the key. Only your mind knows how much you are actually lifting for how many reps. You can stimulate muscle growth across the entire rep range its all in how you do it.

Alot can revolve around how many reps to build mass. Lets take the bench press for example. If you can "sloppily bounce" a 300lb barbell off your chest for 8 reps you will not build nearly the amount of muscle mass you would if you dropped the weight by 100lbs (or more) and performed 15 slow, controlled and flawless reps.

My oldest son is coming to the point where he wants to begin weight training.

How old should he be before I allow him to start lifting? Completely through puberty?

12 or 13 is a good age to start weight training. Precautions do need to be taken though because the muscles will grow stronger quicker than the tendons and ligaments at that age. I touch upon this later in this series.

Hey NaturalPro, I just wanted to make a comment... Having been in the weight training game for 30 years, was in and on some health and training related studies at our university, owned my own health club and studied in-depth related to health and fitness, trained many professionals, I find it refreshing to not disagree with any of your information thus far.

I find discretion with many so called health "guru's" information, contradictions galore, and unrealistic claims from the same on so many levels. Confusing information infiltrating the American, na, Global public with much monetarily motivated gibberish. It's been pleasing to read your posts.

At times, I have heard really poor information from my friends doctors and find it infuriating at times. Simple common sense approaches to diet and exercise turned upside down and sadly utilized by the patient because it came from a doctor. Who may I add, usually looks like total crap. When it comes to our youths health, especially here in America, I find most important. Any one here who is keeping their kids active, you should be applauded.

So kudos to you, as I see it, that your comments and advice in this current and past blog postings have utilized some decent and sound information. Keep up the good work please.

I am glad to see that you are enjoying my blogs and comments and do not disagree with me "thus far". But if the time comes when you do so, by all means let me know. With your experience I am sure that you have alot of great info to share. I don't know it all but I have many years of experience and knowledge to draw upon. I try to keep things real and not over-analyze everything. There are complexities involved in diet, nutrition and training but the basic foundation is simple and does not need to be turned upside down like you said.

When I was a teen and starting out it was a struggle. There is so much misinformation out there given and shared by those who think they have all of the answers. It is easy to get caught up in all the hype, from your doctor to some of the "not so professional" personal trainers, the "big guy" at the local gym that everyone seems to go to for answers and even the marketing tactics of multi-million dollar supplement companies.

The goal of this series is to keep things simple and honest and to provide real answers to common questions. I feel the advice that I will share within this series can get anyone started on the right track to success.

I hope that you continue to enjoy reading my blogs and comments.

And thanks for posting your comment naturalextraction!

And not too heavy weights

Also the returning motion is as important as the initial motion, i see a lot people concentrate on the initial movement but not on the returning motion. For example the Dumbbell curl for the biceps, you should lower the dumbbell at the same "slow" speed as you lift them. Quick curls with heavy weights don't put much strain on the muscle.

Epke once again you are on the right track.

You are referring to eccentric motion (negative - returning motion) and concentric motion (positive - initial motion). The eccentric or lowering part of any lift places greater tension on the muscles than the concentric portion of any rep. Eccentric motion requires more muscle cell recruitment and thus will stimulate more muscle growth than concentric motion.

One way to take advantage of eccentric motion is through the use of "negative" reps. However you need a partner to help you with the concentric portion of the rep. But generally you can lower more weight under control than you can lift and as I mentioned above the eccentric motion places the greatest amount of tension on your muscles which can lead to optimal muscle gain. Just keep in mind this type of negative training should not be used over a long period of time as it can be very taxing and can lead to over training. Periodically adding this routine in for different body parts however can provide great results though.

What about us older guys (age 64)? Can I add muscle at my age, and what is the best way to do that?

Swimmrman you can add muscle at your age. Granted it is harder and the amount you will be able to add will be much less compared with younger guys due to the body reducing production of natural testosterone levels as we age. But don't let that deter you, there are many great benefits to weight training for both young and old.

I suggest relatively light weight that you can handle safely and really focusing and concentrating on proper form and execution.

This series is titled "Teens and Weight Training" but as I mentioned at the end of part 1 there is something to be gained throughout this series for adults as well. I hope you can benefit and learn as this series unfolds.

Thanks for your comment/question.

there is always some confusion about the term muscle building. my understanding is the number of muscle cells(some millions in a person is fixed right from day one at birth; there is no way one can increase this number. they start getting reduced in number about the age 28 or so and the decay is unending. this process also cannot be stopped. however, you can strengthen the muscle mass by exercise and proper nutrition. pls correct me if a am wrong

Good question, one which I had no quick answer or explanation to so this is what I found:

Before we start there are 2 different types of muscle fibers – type I (slow twitch) and type II (fast twitch). Type I fibers are suited for endurance, type II fibers contract quickly but have less endurance.

The number and type of muscle cells are genetically determined at birth. This explains why some people are naturally better marathoners and some better suited for weight training and attaining larger muscle mass for example.

The number of muscle cells can be increased or split through a process known as hyperplasia. This is induced through injecting human growth hormone or IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor). Studies have shown stretching in animal muscle cells can cause hyperplasia but has not been confirmed in humans.

Muscle cell fibers do dramatically decline after the age of 50. Maximum cell size is reached at about the age of 25, from ages 25 to 45 size decreases about 10% and over the next 30 years by as much as 45%.

The size of type I fibers remain unchanged and depending on physical activity can increase with age. The size of type II muscle fibers can be prevented from shrinking through strength & weight training.

For the reasons above it is never too late to begin weight training. Research has shown benefits in individuals over the age of 80. I personally know someone from NYC who competitively competes as a natural bodybuilder at over 80 years of age – and you would never know his age looking at him.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle

http://www.fitnessvenues.com/uk/stop-the-loss-of-muscle-mass-bone-density-with-age