Question:

I wanted to know if you think it’s a good idea to do aerobics on my off days. I want to gain weight so I don’t know if I should do that. If I perform cardio training, will that help me build muscle or hurt when my muscles need rest? 

Answer:

Doing some light aerobic work such as walking or cycling is not going to hinder your muscle gain goals. Doing too much aerobic work or going too hard during your aerobic work will, in fact, hinder your muscle gain.

There are several reasons for this. In order to gain muscle, you need to eat more calories than your body burns. If you do a lot of cardiovascular work, you’re burning a lot of calories that your body could be using to build more muscle.

The other reason is that hard cardiovascular training can increase breakdown of the muscle tissue you already have without providing a reason for your body to build bigger muscles, as in weight training. By forcing your body to recover from hard cardio training, you essentially decrease the available resources your body has for building muscle.

I would recommend sticking to 2 days a week of light aerobic work for about 20 to 30 minutes per session. Use this is as more of a cardiovascular maintenance type training rather than really trying to improve your fitness otherwise you may limit your muscle gain.

If you want to really improve your cardio, then you should focus your training on that. It is always easier to train towards just one goal rather than two goals.

And if increased cardiovascular capacity is a major goal, I highly recommend interval training as a very effective option.Instead of doing slow cardio training, you break it up into shorter, intense bursts of activity.

This will also have the advantage of being more compatible with muscle-growth training.  If you’ve seen the physique of a sprinter compared the physique of a long-distance runner, you’ll know what I’m talking about…the sprinter is far more muscular.

So bottom line, if your main goal is weight gain, minimize cardio activity.

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People who want to get into great shape and build muscle mass, will definitely benefit from an investment in fitness equipment. Now, you may not build muscle mass fast, but if you stay the course you will without a doubt see major improvement. Some individuals who sought the fast track to muscle building, have used dangerous substances in order to achieve this goal. It is important to stay away from anything that is not healthy while pursuing this ambition. The consequences could otherwise be more harmful to your health than helpful.

Weight loss and muscle building go hand in hand. Of course, as muscle is built, frequently weight will be gained. This however is healthy weight gain. What should be eliminated is surplus body fat. A bonus is that the more muscle that is built, the more fat will be reduced.

True and lasting weight loss takes time and effort. There is no real way to lose weight fast when considering the loss of fat. In fact, many quick weight loss programs destroy existing muscle. Obviously this defeats the intended purpose. Think about it, otherwise no one would be overweight. The most important things to consider are health, energy level, and how you feel. If all of these are in place, continue your exercise and eating plan, and eventually the desired results will be achieved.

Avoid referring to your new eating habit as a diet. The word diet has been used for so many years to suggest a temporary change. Getting into great shape and excellent health, should never be considered a temporary situation.

Eating a well balanced healthy diet should include the addition of as many variety of vegetables each day as is available. These vegetables will help weight loss by making a person feel fuller, and also introducing a great wealth of nutrients and vitamins.

Fat free, carbohydrate free, and extremely low calorie diets are a bad idea, and should be avoided. These generally leave people vitamin deficient, lacking energy, and unable to continue. No one want to be set up for failure. A proper eating plan should be healthy and leave a person feeling satisfied.

Go ahead and indulge every now and then. Just be sure to keep it in check. A piece of cake or a cookie on a special occasion will not destroy all of your hard work. Again, just remember to keep it in moderation.

Always keep in mind that the power to succeed is in your own hands. The sooner that you get started, the sooner you will see results.

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As the holidays approach, a feeling of fear creeps in. Your wallet isn’t the only thing getting tighter-your pants are too.. The cycle continually repeats itself. As soon as temperatures fall and you hang about indoors more, there is not as much to sidetrack you from eating those delicious foods. Not me! You can refuse to increase a single pound during the holidays. No, you do not have to endorse any paperwork at an expensive fitness center. You can obtain the body you desire on a restricted budget.

You may possibly not recognize it, but exercise videos are much more fun and stimulating than they were in the past.

Exercise videos are besides  much less pricey than a gym membership or purchasing home workout machines like a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

If the thought of purchasing workout videos reminds you of leg warmers and striped leotards, you have got to reasses the situation. You are not stuck with the wearisome exercise videos of the 80s and 90s any longer. Trust it or not, the identical sought-after fitness trainers who get paid the big bucks to train celebrities will be available to coach you in your own house for just pennies a day.

Some of the most up-to-date fitness trends are presented on video.

Ballet:

Have you always envied a ballet dancer’s lean and graceful body? A number of ballet videos are nowadays presented as workout videos. One of the most trendy choices right now was created by the famous New York City Ballet. Even though you won’t learn to be the next prima ballerina working out with this exercise video at home, you will shape and lengthen your muscles for a beautiful body.

Belly Dancing:

Shimmy your way to a great waistline. Whether you want an instructional video to instruct on proper belly dancing technique or you just would like to work out with belly dance moves, you will find a extensive assortment of videos that are available.

Exotic Dancing:

You read that correctly. If you have always thought it may possibly be entertaining to learn sexy moves, then this is for you. In the solitude and security of your own home, you will be able to bump and spin to your heart’s satisfaction. I have also heard that amusement is fabulous for your stomach muscles, so you can have that taken care of as well, particularly if you have a mirror in your exercise room.

Yoga or Pilates:

If you’re looking for a sleek, thin body, firm core, or added flexibility, then there are hundreds of yoga and Pilates videos to pick from. You’ll find yoga videos for adults as well as yoga for kids. Yes, kids can get tense, too. Yoga is a fabulous way to teach them to unwind.

Exercise videos for kids:

Often kids can be the most excellent motivators. If you put in a kid’s exercise video, it is hard to say “no” when your two year old asks you to dance with Barney.

Once you’ve selected a trend of video you are interested in, locate a particular time each day to “get together” with your private trainer. It’s best to rotate at a minimum of two different styles of exercise (or videos) to evade repetitive use strains. You are able to do different videos each day, or alternate a walk, bike ride or another outdoor activity you like on your non-video days. As long as you are keeping active, you’re keeping all of those spare pounds from firmly attaching to your body.

So, do not sign that pricey gym membership agreement just yet. Blow the dust off the exercise videos in your cabinet, go get some good quality walking shoes, or try out the newest trends at your favorite online store. It is the thrifty way to go.

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