Weight Lifting Routine

If you have been lifting weights for the longest time and still haven't gained muscle mass, you might be doing it inappropriately. Many men avail of gym memberships so they could lift weights and build muscle, but without a personal trainer, you probably wouldn't achieve your goal of getting an Arnold Schwarzenegger-type of body anytime soon. You can't just go to the gym and then do whatever exercises you feel like doing. You can't just say "Oh, I'm going to do 10 crunches now, and then tomorrow I'll do 8 bicep curls."

That sure is better than not working out at all, but this will not cut it if you really want to build muscle. You need to have a structured program if you want to make tangible results. If you're really determined to gain some muscle weight, you might want to read on. In this article, we describe the general principle of how to go about lifting weights so you can build muscle mass.

Generally, there's one main concept that is common to every weight training program: progressive overload. But before you can understand this, you must be aware of how the body reacts to stress - stress from weights, that is. Our bodies are naturally programmed to adapt to any type of stress placed upon it. If, for example, you lift heavy weights to put strain on your muscles, you body reacts by making your muscles grow bigger so it can handle the stress in future situations. Initially, however, your muscle fibers will tear and acquire damage. But as it heals, your muscles grow in size, you will get stronger, and of course, you body will find it easier to lift the same weight. However, if you muscles don't experience any strain anymore, as when you constantly lift the same weight, or when you lift even lighter weights, your body will not feel the need to grow any stronger, so it stays stagnant, or even atrophies or gets smaller.

This is how we apply the concept of progressive overload. You need to let your body experience strain and stress in order for it to grow. This is what your weight lifting routine should be able to achieve if you're looking to gain muscle mass. Implementing the principle of progressive overload can mean any of the following:

- Upping the intensity: means using heavier weights as time goes by

- Increasing the duration: means adding the number of repetitions you do per set

- Changing the type of exercise: means switching from one type of weights to another, for instance, switching from barbells to dumbbells

In everything you do in life, it would be great if you can reach your goals sooner rather than later. The same holds true for achieving your fitness goals of building muscle. This is precisely the reason why it's so important for you to choose the right weight lifting program that can help you avoid hitting a plateau on your progress. Pick a program that not only employs the principle of progressive overload, but fits your preferences as well, and this can surely enable you to maximize your gains.

Information just like this will help you find a great weight lifting routine you'll love. Also see which are the best tummy exercises.